Though the population of Stromness is under three thousand, the town is still the second most populus in the Ornkey Islands. This sparse smattering of people, however, is just what gives the area its charm and, to be sure, Stromness is definitely one of the most charming locales in all of Scotland. For one, the view is just stunning. Many of the houses and shops overlook the rushing sea and provide a flavour and an atmosphere all its own. Stromness has been a seaport for many, many years and one can almost feel and hear the stories of centuries of lust, love, adventure, and intrigue peeling forth from the walls of an inn or creaking in the floorboards of a bait shop.
Many of these older buildings are made from local stone and thus form an even more unique look. The narrow alleys and lanes in the Old Town are a favourite for visitors who yearn to know more about the lives of the people who came and went from this town over the years. Thankfully, these people can fulfill their wishes simply by visiting the Stromness Museum. Here, fascinated tourists can see such exciting relics as collections from whaling expeditions long since passed and outlawed. There are also some stunning artifacts from various trips taken to then foreign lands such as Greenland and Canada. Many Inuit trinkets are also on display as a testament to the tribes that once lived and died on the very earth that is now home to cities and factories and other products of the modern world. Whale bones, however, are usually the most desirable artifacts in the museum and many visitors lament the fact that they can't simply buy one of the larger and more amazing bones that are strewn about not only in the museum but also on many walls and store fronts in town. Whaling was once a highly profitable business in the area thanks to the northern latitude of Stromness and these massive bones can be seen all over. Some shops sell smaller pieces of whale bone, though, and many of these pieces are of ancient origin. Not surprisingly, many tourists are more than pleased with these items.
Stromness was already a thriving seaport in the 1500s but in those days it was little more than a resting spot for travellers going to and from larger and more bustling seaside towns. During the 1600s, however, Stromness became one of the most important towns in all of Scotland when England went to war with France. The English Channel was of course an impossibility in terms of shipping and freight and so Stromness filled the void admirably. From that point on the town grew beautifully and boldly and soon such trades as whaling entered the mix. These days Stromness has essentially leveled out into a town with plenty of varied forms of commerce and is now often thought of as a great place to call home rather than a great place to ship products from. It is this Stromness that is in the hearts and minds of its many happy residents.
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